CODE OF BEST PRACTICES IN FAIR USE FOR ONLINE VIDEO

By the Center for Social Media

American University’s Center for Social Media announces the release of a new code of best practices in fair use for creators in the burgeoning online video environment (centerforsocialmedia.org/remix). The code, grounded in the practices of online video makers and in the law, was collaboratively created by a team of scholars and lawyers from leading universities. The first of their kind, these best practices will allow users to make remixes, mashups, and other common online genres with the knowledge that they are staying within copyright law.

DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKERS’ STATEMENT OF BEST PRACTICES IN FAIR USE

By the Center for Social Media

This Statement of Best Practices in Fair Use makes clear what documentary filmmakers currently regard as reasonable application of the copyright “fair use” doctrine. Fair use expresses the core value of free expression within copyright law. The statement clarifies this crucial legal doctrine, to help filmmakers use it with confidence.

INSIDE THE WETA NEWS PRODUCER'S ACADEMY

By Alison Sotomayor

More than half the journalists at national news outlets and about as many in local news media believe that journalism is going in the wrong direction.

THE ONLY BAD PART ABOUT FLYING:
A FEW SIMPLE NOTES ON WRITING A GREAT PROPOSAL

By John J. Valadez

Not so long ago, when I was in film school one of my instructors asked our class what we thought the single most important piece of film equipment was. Some people insisted that the camera was essential, others were adamant that it was the editing system; one young woman was firm in her resolve that money was the most important piece of equipment because with enough of it everything else would fall into place. Well, we were all incredulous when our instructor told us that we were dead wrong. What! we were told, and what I myself have come to believe, is that the single most important piece of equipment for any filmmaker is nothing more complicated than a pencil and a piece of paper.